Former Blagojevich officials fined for ethics violations

Thursday

The Illinois Executive Ethics Commission has levied fines against several former officials accused of ethical lapses under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The Illinois Executive Ethics Commission has levied fines against several former officials accused of ethical lapses under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Abigail Ottenhoff and Rebecca Rausch, both former spokeswomen for Blagojevich, were fined $1,500 and $1,000, respectively, for preparing a press release issued in February 2007 that touted Barack Obama as a candidate for president.

Sheila Nix, former deputy governor, was also fined $1,000 in connection with the release, which said Obama “supports the very best … Democratic values” and also said that Blagojevich was “proud to give him my support.”

The commission ruled that the release violated state law barring state employees from engaging in political activity on state time.

“There is no way to read any of the drafts of the press release as anything other than a statement that Governor Blagojevich supports Barack Obama in his campaign for presidency,” commissioners wrote in the decision, issued last month.

Matthew Ryan, attorney for the three women, said they were merely doing their jobs and trying to respond to dozens of media inquiries about Obama.

“We are disappointed with the Executive Ethics Commission’s decision and believe it does not reflect our clients’ intentions or the reality of the historic circumstances that surrounded Illinois in early 2007,” Ryan said in a written statement faxed to The State Journal-Register.

The commission found that Blagojevich was not informed about the news release before it was given out.

The release came to the attention of the commission after State Journal-Register political writer Bernard Schoenburg mentioned it in a column published Feb. 15, 2007.

Two months later, the commission raised concerns in a letter to executive inspector general James A. Wright, who filed a complaint with the commission in July 2008, more than a year after the commission became aware of the press release.

It’s not clear why proceedings stretched out so long. A recorded message played Wednesday afternoon on the commission’s main telephone number, and a message was not returned.

State police sanctions

The ethics commission also sanctioned officials with the Illinois State Police for preparing and paying for a public service announcement about Internet crime that was broadcast on radio stations in 2007.

The announcement mentioned Blagojevich, which violates a state ban on advertisements that include the names of state executive branch constitutional officers or state legislators, the commission found.

State police paid $25,000 for the broadcasts, which were supposed to run over three months but were pulled early. It’s not clear whether the state got any money back.

The commission levied $500 fines against former state police director Larry Trent and Lt. Anna Segura-Abernathy. Jessica Trame, chief of staff for the state police, was fined $250.

In an interview, Trent said the violation was inadvertent and the advertisement was pulled as soon as state police became aware of concerns.

“What can I say? I have to own up to it,” Trent said. “I think the fact that it aired for 20 days before someone said anything proves the point that not too many people were aware of this (ban in state law).”

State Journal-Register

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